Proper Use Of Kidkare

Purpose and Scope

Standardize KidKare use for CACFP enrollment, eligibility, attendance, meal counts, menus, claims, and compliance records.

Applies to: Center directors, food-program coordinators, classroom staff, and administrative VAs.

Procedure

  1. Sign in through the organization’s password manager and verify the center profile, license/contact details, meal types, user permissions, operating calendar, claim month, and fiscal year.

  2. Add each enrolled child with name, birthdate, classroom, and start date. Enter enrollment forms and IEF dates, assign the verified Free/Reduced/Paid category, and update Active/Inactive status monthly.

  3. Record daily attendance under Attendance → Daily Entry. Mark absences/partial days, compare against classroom rosters, obtain the required review, and lock attendance at month-end.

  4. Record meals under Food Program → Record Meals. Select the correct meal, mark each child at point of service, prevent duplicate meal claims, separate staff/non-reimbursable meals, and submit daily.

  5. Maintain menus under Food Program → Plan Menus. Use the approved cycle, enter components and portions, print production records, and update substitutions promptly.

  6. Run the Error Report and correct missing IEFs, incomplete menus, or attendance/meal mismatches before the next service day. Obtain the director’s daily sign-off where required.

  7. At month-end, confirm all data is entered and locked, run Meal Count Summary, Enrollment, and Error reports, correct flags, submit the claim through the approved sponsor/state process, and save claim support.

  8. Retain menus, attendance, IEFs, training logs, and claim summaries for three years plus the current year. Back up reports monthly.

  9. Complete CACFP/Civil Rights training, KidKare refreshers, quarterly update reviews, and three annual internal reviews (including one unannounced review when required).

Quality Checklist

  • [ ] Center profile, calendar, and roles verified

  • Enrollment and eligibility records current

  • Attendance and meals entered and reviewed

  • Menus and corrections documented

  • Pre-claim reports cleared before submission

  • Records and training evidence retained

Notes

Do not retain or share passwords in this article. Escalate missing documentation or unclaimable meals before claim submission.


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